Meet the 2022 Tribe IDEA Fellows

Group photo of Tribe Network's IDEA Fellowship

Meet the thirteen Tribe IDEA Fellows advocating for inclusive policy, research and advocacy, and innovation in Nova Scotia!

Tribe Network and Emera Inc. launched the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access) Fellowship to create opportunities for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour in Atlantic Canada to pursue entrepreneurship and innovation. The program provides participants with access to peer networks, mentors and industry experts, as well as financial support to pursue their community-based efforts. 

Read on to learn more about our Tribe IDEA fellows’ initiatives.


Abdul Onabanjo, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera

Abdul Onabanjo

iFormit Solutions

At iFormit Solutions Inc, smart metering infrastructure is simplified. Using the sub-metering approach, iFormit ensures clean utility consumption for an environmentally conscious future.

Amy Grant

Pink Lnu

Pink Lnu is dedicated to providing quality diversity and inclusion workshops through the lens of traditional Mi’kmaw teachings. Pink Lnu committed to making the world a more equitable place, one company, one person, and one story at a time.

Amy Grant, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera
Haruka Aoyama, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera

Haruka Aoyama

Change Today Change Tomorrow

Change Today Change Tomorrow visions to create a community where people passionately participate, and everything we do sustains the health ecosystem. Here, social solutions are delivered to inform sustainability gaps in current climate change adaptation and mitigation work.

Jayne Akinyi

Dada Dunia

Dada Dunia is bringing to market an online platform where immigrant women can access all around concierge services to seamlessly help them settle in Canada. Focused on empowering immigrant women,  Dada Dunia provides access to jobs, cultural events and offers curated settlement services.

Jayne Akinyi, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera
Karen Mutyabule, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera

Karen Mutyabule

Black Girls Gather

Black Girls Gather is committed to economic advancement of Black women through employment attachment, financial literacy and entrepreneurship training. Their programming provides participants the tools, resources and networks they need to attain meaningful employment, and small businesses.

Kilah Rolle

Kilah is building a boutique inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible (IDEA) communications agency. The agency’s consulting services and digital marketing solutions will guide the language of transformed inclusive work cultures with the voices of the communities impacted.

Kilah Rolle, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera
Killa Atencio, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera

Killa Atencio

IndigenUs Network

IndigenUs is a marketplace platform designed for Indigenous knowledge carriers and subject matter experts to connect, network and get hired by clients both within and outside the Indigenous community.

Omar Abdelaziz

Harbour Center For Policy Solutions

The Harbour Center is a think tank. The forward-thinking platform is designed for BIPOC professionals in all fields of policy making, and policy analysis to share their views and solutions as a first step or a supporting step to their involvement in politics.

Omar Abdelaziz, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera
Ravindra (Ravi) Kempaiah, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera

Ravindra Kempaiah

Zen Electric Bikes Inc.

At Zen Electrics Bikes, the problem of urban mobility is solved by replacing cars with high-performance electric bikes that offer 600 kms range using just $1 of electricity. The top-quality E-bike battery technology at Zendic Electric Bikes offers a life-span 5 times longer than current competitors.

Tia Upshaw

Black Women In Excellence (BWIE)

Black Women in Excellence (BWIE) is a nonprofit organization that provides education, supports and community for Black women entrepreneurs. The BWIE multi-step programming includes a 16 week start up cohorts, 12 week scale up cohorts, 6 week mentorship initiatives, coaching calls, discussion panels,  and networking events.

Tia Upshaw, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera
Tyson Tolliver, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera

Tyson Tolliver

African Nova Scotian Directory

The African Nova Scotian Directory (ANSD) platform is designed to connect African Nova Scotian’s online. ANSD offers site visitors the ability to search for and/or contribute to a comprehensive public database of African Nova Scotian points of interest including, but not limited to, culture, food, business, spirituality, education, and music.

Yohan Peiris

Renewly Solar

Renewly Solar helps homeowners in Atlantic Canada navigate through the hurdles of installing a solar system for their home. The multidisciplinary teams at Renewly Solar focus on delivering highly detailed and engineered solar systems across Atlantic Canada by providing a customized energy solution for each home.

Yohan Peiris, a participant in Tribe's IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera